iPad-based Digital Loyalty Program Streamlines Rewards for Pizzeria

By Todd Gallinek, partner with True Crafted Pizza
| August 14, 2014

It is evident that the world of customer loyalty and customer retention has been forever changed by technology. Gone are the days where business owners put out a fishbowl, hoping that an opportunity for a free meal or gift will alone propel customers to provide their personal information. With more than 2.65 billion loyalty program memberships in the United States alone, an increasing number of fast casual restaurants, such as our True Crafted Pizza concept in Charlotte, are turning towards technology to reward loyal customers and attract new ones into their restaurants.

As we shopped for a loyalty partner to stay competitive with our competition, it was important for us to find a merchant- focused platform that could help us reach new customers, engage our loyal customer base and support our marketing efforts. Unfortunately, most loyalty programs we ran into were focused on building their own network of customers, versus working hand-in-hand with our business to create a customized plan.

Digital Loyalty for All Ages
Today’s tech-savvy customer has a smart phone in their pocket, a tablet at home and wants information available to them at their finger-tips. They don’t carry bulky key rings or multiple cards in their wallet. With that knowledge, we knew in order to attract and retain our core customer base, including the millennial generation, our loyalty platform had to be digital and have a mobile component. With GetOne’s platform, we have an iPad-generated loyalty program that is conveniently situated at the checkout counter and accessible via a mobile app, perfect for our on-the-go customers who are looking for a solution that allows them to track points and rewards anywhere.

It would be foolish of us to limit our loyalty and marketing strategy to just the teens and 20-somethings. People of all ages come to our restaurant looking for an enjoyable dining experience. For that reason, our GetOne account manager educated our staff on how to give customer demonstrations and walk through the app with customers who may need an extra hand. I can’t tell you the number of times myself or one of our cashiers has seamlessly walked an older customer through the app. Because all that is required to sign up is a phone number, people of all ages are able to sign up easily and no one feels excluded. We couldn’t imagine asking our customers to join our loyalty program any other way.

Branded Interface
When choosing the loyalty platform, True Crafted Pizza wanted its customers to feel like they were signing up for True Crafted Pizza’s loyalty program and not an outside company looking to take advantage of their contact information, so a system with our marketing and labeling was a must. GetOne’s iPad interface offers a customizable and unique-to-our-brand loyalty platform. Our customers are able to sign up for our loyalty program and are racking up points to earn discounts on our signature appetizers, desserts and pizzas. By incorporating our messaging and branding on the outside and within the platform, we have an additional marketing tool that allows us to increase our fans and followers on social media. For us, GetOne’s merchant-first approach has allowed us to really make the platform work for our needs, ultimately leading to customer retention and growth.

Todd Gallinek began his restaurant venture in May 2005, opening up his first Nothing but Noodles location in the Stonecrest Shopping Center in Charlotte, N.C. After 3+ years of consistent growth, he opened the second Nothing but Noodles location in the Elizabeth area of Charlotte. In May 2012, Mr. Gallinek and his partners were approached to open a pizza restaurant in the Stonecrest Shopping Center. After many months of traveling and researching, TRUE Crafted Pizza opened its doors to the public in May 2013.